Speculation
as Mugabe travels to Singapore for treatment

Zimbabwe's president flew to
Singapore last week, raising further speculation about his
health.

Country's Information Minister, Webster Shamu confirmed that
President Robert Mugabe had gone to the Asian country to seek treatment,
saying it was for a review on the cataract operation the president had
earlier this year.

The leader was expected back in Harare on
Sunday.

Mugabe’s health remains a closely guarded secret, although there
is speculation that he suffers from prostate cancer.As speculation on
Mugabe’s health mounts, leaked US embassy cables revealed that in 2008
Mugabe’s confidante and central bank governor, Gideon Gono told American
envoys that the president had cancer and would die in three to five
years.

Mugabe’s trips to Asia have increased in frequency in recent
months and by March he had exhausted most of his budget allocation for
trips. Each of his trips to Asia gobbles about $3 million.

Recent
figures about how much he has used for foreign travel are, however, not
available.Early this year he made about five trips to Singapore where he was
said to be receiving treatment.

He dismissed the reports saying he
had only gone for an operation to remove the cataract in one of his
eyes.

Mugabe has also been pushing for an early election with analysts
saying he fears a delay would complicate his campaign.

He says he now
wants the elections to be held early next year after the re-writing of a new
constitution.

Constitution
goes to the drafters

ZIMBABWE’S long-delayed constitution goes to the drafters on
Monday, but officials warn the referendum remains in doubt because of lack
of funds.The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) says it needs US$88 million
for the constitutional referendum.

Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana, chairman
of the Parliamentary Constitutional Commission (COPAC), confirmed Friday
that reports from the nationwide canvassing had been consolidated and a team
of three specialist lawyers would begin work on a draft shortly.The
first draft, he said, would be reviewed by an “all stakeholders’ conference”
where amendments could be suggested.

President Robert Mugabe has said the
constitution must be finalised by Christmas to allow for general elections
early next year.

A new constitution is a central plank of reforms agreed
between Zimbabwe’s three main parties when they signed a power sharing
agreement in September 2008.The troubled coalition is limping towards
new elections, although disputes remain over the timing.

Census
to cost $16 million

The National Statistic Office needs $16 million in
order to conduct the next census as required under the country’s
laws.01.10.1102:33pmby Fungi Kwaramba

The figure according to
newly appointed ZIMSTAT Director General, Dzinotyiyei Mutasa, could increase
as the census could stretch for more than two weeks.

“We need $16.5
million for the full census programme which runs until 2015, but it is not
only the numerical phase that we need so we may have an indaba with donor
partners to ask for help in carrying out the census, it is a two pronged
approach,” said Mutasa.

The organisation is currently carrying out a
mapping exercise across the country. This will be followed by the
enumeration phase and then collating, where statisticians will be
employed.

The last census was in 2002. There are inconclusive estimates
that the country now has a 14 million population, but some think this number
is inflated.

Last week USAID pledged to support the census and handed
over seven vehicles valued at $26 000 each to be used by ZIMSTAT.

Electoral Commission Chairwoman Joyce Kazembe said this week
that her organization needs some $US30 million to build capacity and $US88
million to run the referendum some say could be held in
November

Tatenda Gumbo | Washington

The Zimbabwe Electoral
Commission says it will need nearly $US120 million to bolster its
operational capacity and conduct the referendum on the new constitution
which some say could be held as early as November of this year - though a
draft is not yet ready.

Electoral Commission Chairwoman Joyce Kazembe
said this week that her organization needs some $US30 million to build
capacity and $US88 million to run the referendum.

She made the
comments during a ceremony accepting vehicles, computers and other equipment
provided by the United Nations Development Program.

ZEC officials say the
government has not adequately funded the commission, and that if it plans to
schedule a referendum or elections it will have to come up with
funding.

But Finance Minister Tendai Biti told VOA on Friday that the
government does not have that kind of funding, adding that the electoral
commission has presented his ministry with cost figures that are too high.
Biti told VOA reporter Blessing Zulu that ZEC presented his ministry with a
budget of US400 million dollars to conduct the next elections

The
finance minister said that that the 2012 budget he will present in
mid-November will allocate only $US30 million for presidential and general
elections.

Zimbabwe Election Support Network Director Rindai
Chipfunde-Vava said the Electoral Commission must strike a balance on
costs.

She told VOA reporter Tatenda Gumbo that donors will provide funds
to help the agency build capacity, but the government must cover referendum
and election costs.

Tsvangirai Moots Inter-Ministerial Session on
Indigenization

Mr. Tsvangirai told business and labor leaders at an
economic stakeholders meeting on the 2012 budget that the lack of a clear,
consensus policy on indigenization is causing anxiety among international
investors

Gibbs Dube | Washington

Finance Minister Tendai Biti
told journalists this week that friction in the national unity government is
hampering the fragile economic recovery

Expressing concerns about the
economic impact of Zimbabwe's indigenization program, Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai said Friday he will convene inter-ministerial talks on the
controversial initiative which he says is discouraging foreign
investment.

Mr. Tsvangirai told business and labor leaders at an economic
stakeholders meeting on the 2012 budget that the lack of a clear, consensus
policy on indigenization is causing anxiety among international investors
whose capital Zimbabwe desperately needs.

His call for talks on
indigenization among ministers with economic portfolios potentially sets up
a clash with Indigenization Minister Savious Kasukuwere who has announced
the distribution this month of a 10 percent stake in platinum miner Zimplats
though there is no formal agreement in place between the government and its
South African parent.

Kasukewere characterized as "cowards" critics of
his moves to oblige foreign companies to put a 51 percent stake in their
Zimbabwean operations in black hands, declaring that there have been no
challenges so far in the Cabinet or in Parliament.

Finance Minister
Tendai Biti, meanwhile, has started gathering views from a broad spectrum of
stakeholders on the 2012 budget to be presented in November.

The
finance minister told journalists in a briefing this week that friction in
the national unity government is hampering the fragile economic
recovery.

He said ministries must live within their means due to limited
financial resources. The finance minister added that the 2012 budget will
prioritize education

Preaching austerity, Biti said there is no money
for new vehicles for 290 lawmakers now demanding them, even in the proposed
form of a vehicle loan of up to US$30,000.

Economic commentator
Masimba Kuchera said Biti’s belt-tightening message is welcome as most
Zimbabweans oppose the purchase of new vehicles for parliamentarians.

Chiroto
denies looting

The deputy mayor Emmanuel Chiroto has defended his
construction of a 24-roomed mansion in Mt Pleasant.01.10.1102:42pmby
Chief Reporter

Architects told The Zimbabwean that they expect the
opulent structure, whose interior furnishings are mostly imported, to cost
more than $1million on completion.

The structure is going up at a
time when residents of Hatcliffe, where Chiroto is councillor, are furious
that they have gone for months without clean running water.

The
deputy mayor, whose wife was murdered by Zanu (PF) militia in 2008, says all
the councillors received the stands and there was nothing amiss.

"Check
with the Housing Director, everything is above board," he said.

Chiroto
denies allegations by the Harare Residents Trust that he looted public funds
to finance his new-found lavish lifestyle. But Trust coordinator, Precious
Shumba, wants an official probe.

“Our challenge is that when Mr Chiroto
got into office he did not have anything. He was staying in Hatcliffe, but
now he is living beyond his means since councillors’ salaries do not exceed
$200,” he said.

Under the GNU-led anti-corruption drive, several MDC
party officials have been arrested on graft charges, but the party has been
quick to dismiss the allegations as "trumped-up". There is growing concern
that the MDC officials have used their two and half years in the GNU to
feather their nests.

Ministers
not living in luxury: Tsvangirai

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has
rejected suggestions that he has lost the political will to fight the
extravagance rearing its ugly head among MDC members in the
GNU.01.10.1102:15pmby Chief Reporter

"There is a wrong
perception in this country that ministers, especially those from the MDC,
are now living in luxury," Tsvangirai said. "Do you want ministers to go
around doing government business on bicycles?

"I think we need to be fair
in our criticism on excesses or indulgence of that nature. If we were to
compare with other governments, you would see that our own ministers do not
have welfare facilities like education for their families, which they are
entitled to."

These were his first comments since fresh allegations were
made about the scale of extravagance by the GNU, which claims it has blown a
modest $1.5million on luxury vehicles for ministers and other top government
officials. Critics say the expenditure is closer to
$20million.

Lobbyists and observers have criticised the government for
its "extravagant" spending on the luxury cars, when millions in the country
need food aid.

"I think that it is misplaced and arrogant for the PM to
make such a statement," said university student leader Collen
Chibango.

"Everyone knows ministers are MPs, and already have two
official cars – one ministerial and one as an MP. Why would they need more?
Especially in the prevailing economic environment. No one is saying they
should ride bicycles to work. This is just a case of misplaced priorities
and defending unnecessary spending at the expense of the public."

The
Coalition for the People's Charter said it was outraged by Tsvangirai's
support for wasteful expenditure. They say there is a very thin line between
wasteful expenditure and grand corruption and because of this senior MDC
officials were now being perceived as corrupt.

Civil society has
advised that Zimbabwe should copy the example of Rwanda, which has severely
restricted the use of luxury cars by public officials.

Tsvangirai
campaigned on a promise to stamp out the corruption and extravagance that
had become the hallmark of Zanu (PF) rule. But critics say his deputies are
now scoffing in the feeding trough with their Zanu (PF)
colleagues.

Political analyst Blessing Vava said there was no
disputing that ministers were entitled to vehicles, but there was no reason
for one minister to get four official vehicles.

"Its very
disappointing that the Prime Minister would utter such a statement, no one
said they should not drive cars," Vava said. "To my understanding,
legislators and senators were beneficiaries of the Mazda BT50 vehicles
scheme. They also benefitted from Isuzu vehicles from Gideon Gono. Ministers
also got a Mercedes Benz each - so in total they have four cars, plus the
luxurious (Land Rover) Discovery.”

ZANU-PF
to block changes to POSA again

ZANU-PF will once again shoot down the
Public Order and Security Act (POSA) Amendment Bill following a new notice
to reintroduce it in the current Parliamentary session.In the previous
legislative session, which ended last month, Justice and Legal Affairs
Minister, Patrick Chinamasa blocked a bid by Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC-T) chief whip, Innocent Gonese to steer the proposed legislation before
the Senate on grounds that the matter was before the Global Political
Agreement (GPA) negotiators.But Gonese has since given notice to resuscitate
the Bill after President Robert Mugabe igno-red the subject when he
officially opened the Fourth Session of Parliament early this month.In
his address, the President did not mention the Bill among items on the
legislative agenda of the current Parliamentary session.The Bill,
proposed by the MDC-T Mutare Central Member of Parliament, seeks to
whittle-down police powers by, among other things, compelling law enforcers
to identify its officers and the nature of force they would have used
whenever deaths, injuries, loss or damage of property arises as a result of
the use of force.The Bill had previously been passed by the House of
Assembly, which is dominated by the MDC formations but suffered a setback in
the Senate, where it was shot down.Chinamasa this week said Gonese's
latest bid would still suffer the same fate.But in the event that the
Senate declines to pass the Bill, Parliamentary rules allow the House of
Assembly could pass it to President Robert Mugabe for assent.Chinamasa
declined to comment on whether or not the President would assent or turn
down a law that would have been shot down by the Senate.Asked whether the
GPA negotiators had met over the Bill, Chinamasa said no such meeting had
taken place as the MDC-T was still to bring the issue up for
discussion.The Justice Minister, who is ZANU-PF's chief negotiator, added
that there was no meeting of negotiators on the table as of now because they
had finished their work."There is no meeting of the negotiators. The
senate will shoot down Gonese again. What Gonese does not understand is that
what was agreed by the negotiators cannot be undone unilaterally," he
said.Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga was, however, singing from a different
song sheet.The MDC chief negotiator said they had agreed that all the
parties in the GPA would come up with proposals on the way forward."We
have not come up with a date to meet as negotiators, but we will meet to
attend to unfinished business," she said.

Tsvangirai
defends book decision

PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has defended his decision
to publish his memoirs, insisting he wanted to correct historical
“distortions” by his critics.‘Morgan Tsvangirai: In at the Deep End’,
was published by Penguin Books on Saturday.

“So much has been written
from other people’s perspective and not from my perspective," Tsvangirai
said.

"There has been so much distortion, so much undermining of my
character, even misrepresentation of certain events over the last 20 or so
years, so I am just putting the record straight.”

Political memoirs
are typically published at the end of one’s politically career, and
Tsvangirai has found his motives and timing being questioned by many.The
book was ghost-written by his former spokesman, the journalist William
Tagwirei Bango.

Bango told the Voice of America’s Violet Gonda on
Friday: “All I did was to take his views which he had put on paper, and to
talk to him for long periods [200 hours] and then I summarised his thoughts
and gave it back to him to approve, which he duly did.”

Bango said
the book showed Tsvangirai “swimming against a very harsh tide which was
determined to stop any movement towards the democratisation of this
country”.

He added: “I gathered from the material and from his story that
he is a person who lived an extraordinary life as a human being, starting
off as a first child of peasant parents in an arid rural area like Buhera,
working through his education under very difficult circumstances during the
colonial era and finding his first job in a textile factory as a weaver and
finally rising to a position of becoming a Prime Minister of a
nation.”

In the book, Tsvangirai deals with the 2005 split in his
Movement for Democratic Change party which he blames partly on former South
African President Thabo Mbeki.

Tsvangirai charges that the MDC’s
founding secretary general Welshman Ncube, now leader of a rival MDC
faction, held secret meetings with a faction of President Robert Mugabe's
Zanu PF aligned to Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa in the run-up to the
split.

Tsvangirai also speaks of his “shock” when former British Prime
Minister Tony Blair told the House of Commons that he was working closely
with the MDC for regime change in Zimbabwe, which severely undermined him in
the eyes of African leaders.

Excerpts from the book are set to be
serialised by at least 11 South African newspapers and The Daily News in
Zimbabwe.

Kasukuwere
misled the nation: MDC youths

The MDC-T Youth Assembly has denied claims
by Zanu (PF)’s empowerment point man, Savior Kasukuwere, that it had asked
to be included in the looting of foreign companies under the guise of
indigenisation.01.10.1102:40pmby Fungi Kwaramba

In an
exclusive interview with The Zimbabwean, Secretary General Promise Mkwananzi
and President Solomon Madzore said it was impossible to have an empowered
society in an environment where the people were still suffering from
political violence.

They dismissed as “a blatant lie” Kasukuwere’s
statement to the press that they had sought to be involved in the
empowerment crusade, where Zanu (PF) is stripping investors of 51 percent of
their shareholding.

“First we need political stability before we empower
people. Currently people are suffering, so how do you empower them?” asked
Mkwananzi.

On Thursday Kasukuwere told the media: “I asked them, (the
youths) what their problem was with indigenisation and they told me that
they support it and suggested that the indigenous cake be shared equally
among the coalition government partners.”

Mkwananzi confirmed that
the assembly met Kasukuwere, but said the MDC youths did not want shares for
themselves but for the people of Zimbabwe who have not benefited from
previous government policies such as the land reform programme, and who are
not currently benefiting from government loans.

“We want all people to
benefit from empowerment and not just a few,” said Mwananzi.

National Railways of Zimbabwe workers are demanding payment of
salaries and allowances going back to 2009 - the case of some workers
amounting to as much as US$9,000, a small fortune in Zimbabwe

Gibbs
Dube | Washington

The lowest paid lecturers at teachers colleges earn
US$220 a month while their counterparts at universities are paid more than
US$1,000

Zimbabwean State Enterprises Minister Gorden Moyo said an
ongoing strike by workers of the National Railways of Zimbabwe signals the
urgent need for restructuring, adding that he has sent a proposal for
reorganization to the Ministry of Transport.

NRZ workers are
demanding payment of salaries and allowances going back to 2009 - the case
of some workers amounting to as much as US$9,000.

The state enterprises
minister said the government must act now to save the NRZ. "We have already
sent a comprehensive proposal to the transport ministry detailing ways in
which the NRZ can be restructured," Moyo said.

Meanwhile, lecturers at
public teachers colleges and polytechnical institutes have also gone on
strike, demanding significantly higher salaries. Sources said lecturers
boycotted classes Friday and vowed to stay out until their demands are
met.

The lowest paid lecturers in such institutions earn US$220 a month
while their counterparts at universities are paid more than
US$1,000.

One college lecturer speaking to VOA on condition of anonymity
said instructors are demanding at least 70 percent of what the university
lecturers are being paid.

Mine
grab will only benefit clever ones: Supa

Ordinary Zimbabweans will not
benefit from the forced indigenisation of foreign-owned mines because they
are not clever enough, says Supa Mandiwanzira, president of the Affirmative
Action Group.01.10.1102:46pmby Radio VOP

Delivering a lecture
at Midlands State University titled "Demystifying Indigenisation", the
former broadcaster, who has become fabulously wealthy on the indigenisation
ticket, said: “We shall not lie to people that everyone will benefit from
the 51% policy.”

He said it was “only the clever ones that are near the
opportunities and have the knowledge of the companies that will
benefit".

Mandiwanzira took an uncharacteristic swipe at his Zanu (PF)
masters, who are fighting for shares in the lucrative Zimplats platinum
mine.

He said the AAG, founded by President Mugabe’s nephew Phillip
Chiyangwa, was against those “stepping on each others toes in a bid to get a
controlling stake of the company”.

"We ask these people that we have
been reading about to back off. Zimplats is a big company that cannot be
taken by an individual. We are saying every Zimbabwean should benefit from
such big profit-making companies. Therefore everyone should get the shares
instead of one person."

But he quickly added that it would not be
possible for everyone to benefit from the policy, whereby 51% of all
foreign-owned companies must be ceded to local shareholders.

"There
is no democracy in business, to be able to get into business, you need to be
clever and wise, possess the ability to work very hard, to be strong such
that you are able to rise again if you fall. It’s highly competitive and
individualistic in nature,” he said.

Despite, incontrovertible evidence
that the Indigenisation Act has scared off international investors,
Mandiwanzira insisted it had now.

"Those who claim the act is scaring
investors away are lying,” he said. “How can they be scared aware by a law?
They want platinum, gold and other things that we have so they will still
come to invest because we have what they want. Bill Gates, who is said to be
the richest person, only owns 12% of Microsoft. Yet our law offers the
foreigners 49%.”

He added that Zimbabwe’s indigenisation laws could not
be compared to other countries, saying “other countries do not need it
because they do not have the natural resources that foreigners badly need to
exploit”.

Without providing any statistics to back up his claims, he
insisted: "If you go to the Ministry of Mines you will find long queues of
foreigners who want to invest in mining so it means investors are
coming."

Mandiwanzira claimed that with the exception of Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai, all other coalition partners acknowledge that the
Indigenisation Act was a good policy.

“The Prime Minister is the only
one who is not educated. He belongs to the minority and if he continues to
oppose indigenisation, he will lose his supporters,” Mandiwanzira told
journalists.

Anglican
hymn becomes global prayer

The Anglican Church, under siege from renegade
bishop Nolbert Kunonga, has adopted the song “Namata Urinde” (Watch and
Pray) as a prayer and a watchword as it faces
persecution.01.10.1102:35pmby Fungi Kwaramba

The Shona and
English versions of the hymn have been posted on several websites so that
Anglicans throughout the world can join in this prayer with Anglicans in
Zimbabwe.

Tora mapfumo ako Take up your spears, Abate misi yese, Hold them
on all days, Satan anorindira; Satan is watching for them; "Namata urinde."
"Watch and pray." Inzwa vakakurira Hear those who overcame, Vari
kukuringisa, They are conquering, Ivo vese vachiti, All of them saying,
"Namata urinde." "Watch and pray."

Shona text is from Ndwiyo
Dzomuchechi [Hymns of the Church], rev. ed. (London: S.P.C.K., 1966). It was
itself a translation of an English hymn, "Christian, seek not yet repose,"
Hymn 308 in Hymns Ancient and Modern, but the now immensely popular Shona
version is a condensed version.

The whole story

Dear Family and Friends,Taking a friend home
to his rural village this week, my eyes were wideopen to absorb sights that
we once took for granted in Zimbabwe,before farming districts became ‘no-go
areas.’ How sad it is thateleven years after they were violently taken over,
our commercialfarming areas have become largely wasteland. Lonely,
derelict,desolate places where the overpowering image is mile after mile
ofnothing-ness. No fences, no farming activity, no production, and
inmost places, very few livestock and even fewer people.

Sitting on a
small anthill, surrounded by blackened, burnt landscapewas a young man with
a whip in his hand. Four black and brown cattlewere snuffling in the dust
and ash nearby, searching for green shootsof grass. It was a very hot day,
windless and bone dry with hazymirages shimmering in the distance. The look
on the face of the youngman was that of utter boredom. Every now and again
his hand came upand flicked at a fly on his face or he lazily swished the
whip in thedirection of the four cattle. Too old to be at school and one of
theapproximately 80 percent of people unemployed in Zimbabwe, the
youngman had become the cattle minder. He would only have been a
littleboy, perhaps nine years old, when this place was turned upside down.
Iwondered if he could remember the time when this farm had beenbustling
with life and productivity and employed scores of people. Theirony of the
young man and his four cattle in this particular locationweighed heavy on my
mind.

The anthill that the young man was lolling against is on land
whichused to be a prime dairy farm. Just a decade ago there were
sturdyfences and lush green pastures where the young man was sitting. A
fewhundred fat, shiny black and white Holstein cows used to graze
here,so heavy with milk that their udders nearly touched the ground.
Everytwo or three days the milk tankers came, all year round, winter
orsummer, rain or shine. The fresh milk from this dairy farm was
muchsought after by everyone in the area, as was the thick, sweet cream
itgave and the glossy yellow butter it made. The commonest sight in
theearly mornings and late afternoons was of people walking to the
farmcarrying containers, going to buy fresh milk, straight from the
cow.

All that came to a stop when the Zimbabwean Ambassador to an
easternEuropean country decided he was going to have that dairy farm.
Wecould never understand why an Ambassador based in another
countryshould be given a seized farm, or how he could be classed as a
‘landhungry peasant’ but common sense made no difference in the
greedypolitical land grab.

My friend’s words interrupted my thoughts
as we passed the nowdeserted dairy farm. “There is nowhere to get milk here
anymore,”he said, commenting that he had two large packets of milk powder
inhis bag. Around the corner, on another seized commercial farm,
thefences were all gone and a donkey cart lay abandoned in the dirt
witha broken axle and only one wheel. The driveway leading to the
farmhouse which had once been a wide clear road, was so under
utilizedthat it was overgrown with grass and tree saplings and had
becomelittle more than a footpath.

Arriving at my friend’s village
the contrast to the desolateovergrown farms was dramatic; everywhere people
were visible and busy.They were re-thatching roofs before the rain, stacking
bricks that hadbeen made and fired during the winter, carrying piles of dark
blackmanure from their cattle pens to the fields. Women were carrying
waterto their beds of tomatoes and cabbages and everyone was busy
gettingready for rain and the new season.

Later that day I sat
reading a book I had bought recently, called“If Something is Wrong.”
Published by the Agricultural WorkersUnion (GAPWUZ), the book presents eye
witness accounts of Zimbabwe’sfarm seizures as told by the farm workers. It
is a seldom heard sideto the land reform story which makes for compelling,
painful reading.First hand accounts from men and women who had no voice
during theland seizures. Men and women who met every criteria for receiving
theland that was being seized. But they did not; instead their
lives,homes and families were utterly ravaged by greedy, violent thugs
doingthe bidding of their political masters. Perhaps one day the young
manleaning on an anthill watching four cows will hear the whole
story.

Until next time, thanks for reading, love cathy. Copyright �
CathyBuckle.1st October 2011.www.cathybuckle.com

Zanu
PF to blame

A report by the International Bar
Association has put the blame squarely on Zanu PF for the failure to
implement reforms in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe, says the IBA report, is still in
crisis three years after the signing of the grandly named Global Political
Agreement, “…political environment gravely polarized by resurgence of
violence, arrests, intimidation and hate speech…”

Zanu PF, of course,
responded the just way we have come to expect. Rugare Gumbo condemns the IBA
as an organization that is “in business to criticise Zanu PF.”

If
this short extract is anything to go by, the IBA report is relatively mild,
compared to what is really happening in Zimbabwe. A worrying development
recently is the increasing use of so-called ‘youth’ in carrying out violence
and disruption. I’m not exactly sure what age one has to be to qualify as a
‘youth’ but last weekend it was reported that ‘Zanu PF youths’ had seriously
disrupted a ZCTU meeting being held in Bulawayo. The meeting was being
addressed by top Union officials when this rowdy group of ‘youths’ disrupted
the gathering. For once, the police actually did what they are supposed to
and ordered the youths to leave but they would not budge. It was only the
intervention of a senior Zanu PF official that finally persuaded them: Zanu
PF’s law had prevailed!

The news that the activities of the Chipangano
gang has the support of senior Zanu PF leaders came as no surprise and this
week the MDC called on Mugabe to stop the gang’s violence. Needless to say,
Mugabe has done and the gang continues to wreak havoc in Harare. ‘Zanu PF
youths’ were busy this week taking over the carparks in a Harare suburb.
They say it is part of the ‘indigenisation’ programme, empowering the
people! To demonstrate their loyalty to Mugabe and the former ruling party,
the youths hoisted the Zanu PF flag at ‘their’ carparks. At the same time
as this patently illegal activity was going on, a group of MDC youth were
denied permission for a march. All marches are banned, the police announced,
except for those organised by government ministries or
departments.

The combined motives of violence for political ends and
personal greed make for a toxic mix that has poisoned all aspects of life in
Zimbabwe. Zanu PF thugs have banned the Seventh Day Adventist Church from
holding their services in a local school because some of the church members
are also members of the MDC. ‘Bishop’ Kunonga continues to evict bona fide
Anglican priests from their homes. This week he was in Chegutu where his
thugs were accompanied by a court messenger to give a veneer of legality to
their illegal activities. Apparently, the thugs are masquerading as priests
while they beat and threaten both laity and clergy. In the rural areas too,
some traditional chiefs appear to be in thrall to Kunonga as one chief
orders Anglican parishioners in Chikwaka to pay allegiance to Kunonga –
‘pay’ being the operative word.

A statistic from the IBA report shows
that politically motivated arrests have increased from 300 people for the
whole of 2010 to 800 in the first six months of 2011. The continuing
harassment and arrests of the Woza women is clearly political and the charge
of ‘kidnapping and theft’ against the leaders, Mahlangu and Williams is
simply nonsensical. These brave women have been remanded in custody until
October 6th despite calls from all quarters for their
release.

Reports speak of 5000 Mapostoris invading sugar estates in the
lowveld where sugar production has been reduced by 70%; I seem to recall
another such invasion some years back. It is, as a good friend of mine
always says, “Same old, same old” in Zimbabwe. As the net tightens, Zanu PF
they descend to crude threats against their enemies, real or imagined. This
week it was Emerson Mnangagwa telling those countries that want to invade
Zimbabwe (!) that the ‘ZNA will crush them.’ No comment needed, I
think.

The committee meetings listed below will be open to members of the public, but as
observers only, not as participants, i.e. members of the public can listen but
not speak.All meetings will be held at
Parliament in Harare, entrance on Kwame Nkrumah Avenue between 2nd and 3rd
Streets.

Note: This bulletin is based on information released by Parliament this
afternoon.But, as there are sometimes
last-minute changes to the meetings schedule, persons wishing to attend a
meeting should avoid possible disappointment by checking with the relevant
committee clerk that the meeting is still on and still open to the public.
Parliament’s telephone numbers are Harare 700181 and
252936.If attending, please use the
Kwame Nkrumah Ave entrance to Parliament.IDs must be produced.

Monday 3rd October at10
am

No open meetings

Monday 3rd October at 2 pm

Portfolio Committee: Public Works and National
Housing

Oral evidence from the Ministry of Public Works on its
construction projects

Committee Room No. 311

Chairperson: Hon MupukutaClerk: Mr Mazani

Tuesday 4th October at 10 am

No open meetings

Wednesday 5th October at 10 am

Portfolio Committee: Agriculture, Water, Lands and Resettlement

Oral evidence from the Minister of Agriculture on the operations
of ARDA and its partners, and other issues

Committee Room
No. 4

Chairperson: Hon ChinamonaClerk: Mrs
Mataruka-Mudavanhu

Thursday 6th October

No
open meetings

What
Other Committees Will be Doing

All other committees are also due to meet but in closed session, to
complete work plans for the session, consider draft reports, prepare questions
for future meetings to hear oral evidence and conduct field visits.For instance:

·The Thematic Committee on Indigenisation and Empowerment will prepare
questions to be put to representatives of the Chamber of Mines at a future
meeting

·The Thematic Committee on Human Rights will discuss its visit to
prisons

·The Public Accounts Committee will deliberate on evidence received
from CMED on the management of Government
vehicles

·The Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs, Constitutional and
Parliamentary Affairs will consider its itinerary for public hearings on the
Electoral Amendment Bill

·The Portfolio Committee on Education, Sport and Culture will
deliberate on the Asiagate soccer match-fixing scandal

·The Portfolio Committee on Industry and Commerce will consider its
draft report on four international agreements for which the Minister of Industry
and Commerce is seeking Parliamentary approval: International Coffee Agreement;
Kuwait/Zimbabwe Trade Agreement; 2nd Revised Cotonou Agreement of 2010 between
EU and ACP states; Economic Partnership Agreement of
2009 between the EU andEastern and
Southern African states

·The Portfolio Committee on Media,
Information and Communication Technology will pay field visits to
ZIMPOST Offices in Harare

Veritas makes every effort to ensure reliable information, but cannot
take legal responsibility for information supplied